Hat block



July- 13, 1937. i

E. A. LINDsl-:Y 2,087,158

HAT BLOCK Filed March 11, 195e ,lllll"ll.,."' 3 .ci g 47 3 4 s. ,Z/V-'Z0- 4 0'!! 0 A 9 Q .1 12 l f2 ,o 1a' ff a ATTORN EY Patented July 13,1937 UNirEo STA-rss PATENT OFFQE 3 Ciaims.

This invention relates to hat blocks and its general object is toprovide a block that is primarily designed for use in cleaning hats ofall sizes, in that it is adjustable to nt the same, vincluding the crownand brim thereof, in a manner so that the crown is held in a stretchedcondition and the brim adequately supported, to allow both to bethoroughly cleaned in an easyand expeditious i manner with very littleeffort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat block that can bereadily adjusted, is selfsupporting and is not only simple inYconstruction and inexpensive to manufacture but is extremely eicient inoperation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention indetail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: Figure lis a vertical sectional View taken through the hat block which forms thesubject matter of the present invention and illustrates the samesupported upon a box or other container which is utilized to house theblock when not in use.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 2 2 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating the block supported upon a flatsurface such as a table or the like.

Referring to the drawingin detail, it will be noted that the body of myblock is made up of sections arranged in cooperative association, andthe front and rear sections I are similar in shape, while the sidesections 2 are likewise similar, therefore it will be seen that the bodyincludes two pair of sections, the sections I being relatively largerthan the sections 2 and each section is provided with a top portion 3shaped for fitting association. The body is hollow as shown in Figure 1,and I have shown a coil spring l for each pair of sections, to connectthe sections of a pair together, in that the springs are secured to thesections through the instrumentality of screw eyes 5.

The sections I and 2 are of course arranged together in substantiallyoval configuration to t the crown portion of a hat and for that purposethe upper surface of the top portions are rounded,

and the vertical portions of the sections are curved.

`A base plate 6 is provided for the block, and

each section is secured thereto through the mep diurn of screws or thelike 'I arranged in slots 8,

whereby the sections are slidably mounted for movement toward and awayfrom each other, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure l.

In order to adjust the sections with respect to each other I employ ascrew shaft 9 having a threaded portion which extends through an openingcentrally arranged in the base plate 6, and depending from the baseplate about the opening is a bearing for a thumb nut E6 which isthreaded on the shaft. The upper end of the screw shaft 9 is reduced andsecured thereto is a head I I having ears extending therefrom andarranged in cooperating pairs to have pivotally secured between the samethe upper ends of links l2, while the opposite ends of the links arepivotally secured between like ears of brackets I3, the latter beingfixed to the sections, there being a bracket for each section, with theresult it will be seen that when the shaft 9 is moved downwardly thesections are moved away from each other and when the shaft is lmovedupwardly the sections are moved toward each other.

The upper or headed end of the shaft 9 is held in a position above thebrackets I3, by the coil springs 4 which hold the sections associated,consequently the links will always be held above their dead center.Formed on and depending from adjacent the outer edge of the base plate 6are bosses I4 having openings therein which extend through the platewhich are substantially oval shape, and received in the openings are thedepending portions or legs I 5 of supporting members which are ofsubstantially right angled formation, but the upper portions aredisposed at a slight upward inclination, and are slightly curved toprovide aJ seat for a ringlike form I6 to support the brim of the hat,as shown. The form I6 is conoavo-oonvex, and is of a size to be disposedover the block and to allow ample space between the inner side of theopening of the form and the block. The legs I5 are adjustably mounted inthe bosses I 4 and are held in adjusted positions through theinstrumentality of thumb screws I 'I. B'y that construction, it will beapparent that the form is movably supported to t hats having crowns ofvarious heights.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of supportingmember and while this form includes a leg I8, the remaining portion isdisposed at a right angle with respect to the leg.

Figure 3 also illustrates the supporting member having its leg receivedby a suitable supporting means such as a table or the like, but I preferto have my device supported upon the upper end of a boX or container i9,and in that event the outwardly directed portions of the supportingmembers are received by the upper edges of the walls of the container asclearly shown in Figure 1. When in that position, the outer side of thecrown of a hat A, as well as the upper surface of the brim can becleaned.

By having the brim form i@ loosely mounted, it will be obvious that itcan be readily reversed, so that the underside of the brim can becleaned, and to accomplish that purpose, the hat is removed from thebody, the'form EE reversed and the hat is then disposed crown downwardlywith the brim contacting the form.

The container is of a size to receive the device when not in use, andwhen it is desired to dispose the same therein, the supporting membersI5 are moved to the dotted line position of Figure 2.

While I have stated that my device is primarily designed for use insupporting a hat whereby the latter can be readily cleaned, it will ofcourse be understood that it can be used for stretching hats, merely byplacing the block in the crown of the hat and rotating the thumb nut EBfor moving the sections away from each other.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of V -the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hat block comprising a body including a plurality of sectionsdisposed in fitting association with respect to each other, flexiblemeans for holding the sections together, means for adjusting thesections for movement toward and away from each other, base meansreceiving the sections with the latter mounted for movement thereon,brim receiving means surrounding the body and spaced therefrom,supporting means for the body and brim receiving means and includinglegs mounted for adjustment through the base means, and means engageablewith the legs for holding the supporting means in adjusted positions.

2. A hat block comprising a crown receiving body including a pluralityof sections mounted for fitting association with respect to each other,spring means for holding the sections together, screw means foradjusting the sections for movement toward and away from each other,base means for the sections with the latter mounted for movement thereonand connected thereto, a concavo-convex brim receiving means surroundingthe body and spaced therefrom, supporting means for the body and brimreceiving means and extending through the base means, means foradjusting the supporting means with respect to the base means, and acontainer for housing the block and adapted to have the supporting meansmounted thereon for supporting the block in position for use.

3. A hat block comprising a sectional crown receiving body, means foradjusting the sections for movement toward and away from each other, aconcavo-convex brim receiving means surrounding the body and spacedtherefrom, said brim receiving means being reversible, base means forthe body and having the sections connected thereto, supporting means forthe body and brim receiving means and including legs slidably mountedthrough the base means for adjustment with respect thereto, and meansengageable with the legs for holding the supporting means in adjustedpositions.

ERNEST A. LINDSEY.

